Re: highway 16 road herping

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Posted by Chris H. on July 15, 2002 at 23:49:48:

In Reply to: highway 16 road herping posted by max draper on July 14, 2002 at 16:03:52:

highway 16 between Tilden and Freer is a very popular herping area. That is the area where most of the Mexican Milks in captivity probably originate. They are a reasonably common snake in that area.

It can be very snakey (lots of checkered garters and w. diamondbacks), but the traffic can be high on weekends. Some of the side roads off of 16 (particularly down towards Freer) are quieter and equally productive. It is not unusual on a good night (usually rainy April nights seem best) to see 50 or more snakes of 8 or more species.

Some of the snakes I have seen between Freer and Tilden include (off the top of my head) -
TX Indigo (protected)
Mex Milksnake
Desert King
Great Plains Rat
Mex. Hognose
Mex. Hooknose
Longnosed Snake
Glossy Snake
Bullsnake
Mexican Black-headed Snake
Flat-headed Snake
Checkered Garter
Ribbon Snake
Schott's Whipsnake
Western Coachwhip
Mexican Racer
Western Diamondback
Diamondbacked Watersnake
TX Coral Snake
etc.
(There are others, just not that I can call up immediately.)

Then there are the interesting lizards and the Tortoises (again, protected).

Be aware that I was pulled over by TPWD in a sting operation down there one spring. They had a huge dead Western Diamondback (probably almost 6' long) that they laid out on the edge of the road and then waited off to the side to see who stopped. When they pulled me over (I found it and tossed it off the road, cursing the $@#% rednecks who had put it there), they mostly wanted to look in my cooler, I guess for rattlesnake meat (??).

I would be a good idea to have all your "ducks in a row" before heading down that way herping (valid Hunting License and Driver's License for sure). I have not heard of any issues about the legality of road hunting down there, but realize that you are technically in violation of the law (another reason to stay on quiet roads).

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: highway 16 between Tilden and Freer is a very popular herping area. That is the area where most of the Mexican Milks in captivity probably originate. They are a reasonably common snake in that area. : It can be very snakey (lots of checkered garters and w. diamondbacks), but the traffic can be high on weekends. Some of the side roads off of 16 (particularly down towards Freer) are quieter and equally productive. It is not unusual on a good night (usually rainy April nights seem best) to see 50 or more snakes of 8 or more species. : Some of the snakes I have seen between Freer and Tilden include (off the top of my head) - : TX Indigo (protected) : Mex Milksnake : Desert King : Great Plains Rat : Mex. Hognose : Mex. Hooknose : Longnosed Snake : Glossy Snake : Bullsnake : Mexican Black-headed Snake : Flat-headed Snake : Checkered Garter : Ribbon Snake : Schott's Whipsnake : Western Coachwhip : Mexican Racer : Western Diamondback : Diamondbacked Watersnake : TX Coral Snake : etc. : (There are others, just not that I can call up immediately.) : Then there are the interesting lizards and the Tortoises (again, protected). : Be aware that I was pulled over by TPWD in a sting operation down there one spring. They had a huge dead Western Diamondback (probably almost 6' long) that they laid out on the edge of the road and then waited off to the side to see who stopped. When they pulled me over (I found it and tossed it off the road, cursing the $@#% rednecks who had put it there), they mostly wanted to look in my cooler, I guess for rattlesnake meat (??). : I would be a good idea to have all your "ducks in a row" before heading down that way herping (valid Hunting License and Driver's License for sure). I have not heard of any issues about the legality of road hunting down there, but realize that you are technically in violation of the law (another reason to stay on quiet roads).

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